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"The Bureau of Mines examined previous research on rib stability in an effort to develop a practical approach to understanding, characterizing, and controlling weak rib conditions in underground coal mines. Because success in stabilizing ribs depends on a basic knowledge of how weak ribs behave, the report reviews the mechanics of rib failure and the relationship of coal mine geology and pillar constraint to rib instability. Strategies for choosing an effective method of rib support are considered, and various rib support methods are discussed. Finally, the report documents techniques for monitoring ribs and use of models to assess rib stability; such monitoring and modeling can also help determine the most effective method for roof support." - NIOSHTIC-2

"Roof falls continue to be the greatest single safety hazard faced by underground coal miners. During 1996-99, 44 coal miners lost their lives in rock falls, and nearly 2,400 were injured. In addition, nearly 6,000 noninjury roof collapses were repor...

"The U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted a worldwide literature review of bleederless ventilation practices to evaluate their use as a spontaneous combustion control measure in U.S. coal mines. Factors that must be taken into account in the design and use...

Advancements in support technology have occurred to a large extent because of the demands of the mine operators. Shield supports are no exception. The most notable changes in shield technology in the past decade have been increases in shield capacity...

"Pillar design is the first line of defense against rock falls--the greatest single safety hazard faced by underground coal miners in the United States and abroad. To help advance the state of the art in this fundamental mining science, the National ...

"A study of pillar and roof span performance in stone mines that are located in the Eastern and Midwestern United States showed that various stability issues can be addressed by appropriate pillar and roof span design. Pillars can be impacted by rock...